Cycle
by Nicolas Crossworth
Summary: [DARK] Sequel to Repetition. When that thing in the abyss takes interest on you, you know you're going to have a bad week.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Can get pretty dark. Please recite the MST3K Mantra throughout the fic. Thank you.**

* * *

"Feeling lucky today, chief?" asked an enforcer as she held a box filled with office wares just outside the twin black doors. Her footsteps echoed around the office as she approached her superior's desk and settled the box there. Breathing a sigh, she placed her hands on her hips and continued, "It's only guard duty, chief. No need to be so excited."

The SMD chief stared at her subordinate with narrowed eyes, "Even if it is just guard duty, it is no excuse for me to let my guard down. We're enforcers, we have to take our jobs seriously or else something bad would happen."

"This is why no one finds you cute, chief," mused the enforcer with a snicker only to feel a cold sensation of fear running down her spine. She glanced at her superior whom was radiating a thick curtain of killing intent before swallowing the lump in her throat as she apologized, "W-W-Wait! It's not like I meant it that way! Of course the chief is cute! Beautiful and responsible! Anyone who says otherwise is worth giving a beat down to! This is I know as one of your workers! Ehehehehe!"

Glaring daggers at her subordinate for a few moments, the SMD chief released a sigh. She stood up from her seat behind her desk and walked past her employee. Without turning back she said, "I will be going now. Lyrica's waiting for me. Look after the base in my absence."

"Got it boss!" said the enforcer with an alert salute, a bright grin on her face.

The superior officer went down the hallway and passed by a few of her other colleagues and subordinates. They all gave her a polite greeting though a few seemed to have frozen in place in awe at her appearance, maybe a little fear mixed in. Being stared at like that made her a little uncomfortable yet she never showed it in her face. She was after all a composed ice queen in the eyes of others even though she wanted to be a little different from that.

She descended down the white fan shaped staircase in the middle of the lobby and continued towards the exit. The guard whom was at the door opened it for her and the sun's rays shined, its light dazzling her so much that she had to block it with her palm.

A normal day in Leanbox.

* * *

A tired sigh echoed around the set as its source leaned against a metal pole and rubbed the bridge of her nose. A number of people were hastily making the final preparations for the concert in the next few hours and judging by the way they moved they were getting frantic. Women dashed around lifting props or pushing carts, all desperate to make it in time for the main event that evening. Though despite the pressure building up at the pit of their stomachs, they still found the energy to smile and greet one another as they passed. What enthusiastic fellows.

A young woman with short maroon hair tied in twin pigtails crossed her arms as she observed the people around her. There were some that were hammering the banners they crafted themselves while the others were busy restocking on the special effects to be used in the evening. Poles and tools laid scattered about thanks to the clumsy handling of the workers so it was easy to trip if one were not careful enough.

At the distance was the grand stage where the main star of the event was diligently practicing her dance along with her backup dancers. 5pb moved with such grace and elegance that a few workers couldn't help but gawk not looking where they were going and eventually hitting one another. It was days like these that gave the young woman a content feeling.

Approaching the panicking workers, Cave knelt down and helped them pick up their fallen tools. Surprised that the Head of the SMD would take her time and help them, the workers managed to blurt out their thanks before running off. The young woman could only watch them go while waving them goodbye with an indifferent expression. People were always flustered whenever she attempted to help them yet she had no idea why. It could be the fact that she held a high position in the law enforcement of Leanbox yet she did her best to act kindly despite that.

No matter what she did, people were either afraid or in awe of her. She almost wondered why they couldn't be more like Lyrica. She turned her gaze back at the stage where her friend and charge was practicing and sighed. She was the total opposite of her friend whom people wouldn't think twice in flocking around. A shame that Lyrica was the shyest person Cave knew and was not used to dealing with others. If she could deal with people when off the stage then she would be perfect.

Most unfortunate that she had that kind of personality. The same thing could be said to the maroon haired young woman.

Standing up, she crossed her arms and went back to her guarding spot and leaned on the pole once more. With a yawn, she looked up at the peaceful blue sky above her and reached out at the clouds with her hand. Enveloped in a relaxing feeling, she couldn't help but mutter to herself, "My feet hurt…"

Gamindustri, a world where wacky monsters existed alongside wackier human beings. Guarded by the four main Goddesses of the four nations, the entire world was currently enjoying a time of peace following the events of the ASIC incident. It's been two years since the situation has been resolved and Cave could feel herself getting rusty due to the lack of action. Back then, she participated in the effort of releasing the captured Goddesses from the Gamindustri Graveyard, the home base of the ASIC menace.

During those dark days, she was always on patrol. Not a day passed where she wasn't arresting someone for hiding illegal Arfoire chips or fighting a boss monster on her own and winning. She would usually guard Leanbox with her troops against the increasing monster attacks as well as suppressing any rebellion which might take place during Lady Green Heart's absence. It was through her and the Oracle Chika's effort that Leanbox was kept safe during those dark days until the CPU Candidate Nepgear released their Goddess.

A series of events followed and the root of the ASIC was vanquished and peace returned to Gamindustri. As much as Cave appreciated the peace and quiet, she couldn't help but miss those days where she would go adventuring with Lyrica. Aside from the fiasco that happened in Planeptune a few months ago with the blue Goddess and the few remnants of the ASIC causing little trouble to her and her troops, nothing of note happened during the past few months.

Until a few weeks ago…

"Cave!"

Wrenched out of her thoughts by a voice, Cave turned to her left and greeted the approaching person with a wave of her hand.

"Hello Lyrica, are you done practicing?" she asked with a tilt of her head yet her expression remained the same… Empty and devoid of emotion. It was almost like she was a robot from her lack of facial expression and tone.

This, however, was a normal reaction to 5pb who had gotten used to it from a long, long time ago. The pop idol smiled brightly as she replied to her friend, "Nope, just taking a break. Why are you standing around like a statue for? Try sitting down! Your legs would hurt you know."

"No. I have to stand guard. I can't let civilians past this point. Besides, standing keeps me alert," explained the maroon haired girl as she tapped her feet.

"Is that so?" 5pb took a step back and placed a hand underneath her chin as she examined her friend's appearance, "It's your break time anyway. The more tired you are, the less alert you'll be. Have you eaten your lunch yet? I'll be going back for one last rehearsal and we'll be on our lunch break. Would you like to eat together?"

Having been guarding the same spot and observing the frantic workers, Cave completely forgot about hunger due to being so immersed at staring at the people passing by. A loud rumbling sound from within her stomach reached the two girl's ears.

The maroon haired girl whom rarely showed emotions had a light shade of pink appear on her cheeks as she averted her gaze, scratching the back of her head as she said, "I'll wait then…"

"We'll make this quick! Just wait here, okay?" the pop idol squeezed her friend's hand while smiling brightly.

Without any other response, the maroon haired girl could only say, "Okay…"

5pb nodded and ran back to the stage, her long blue hair dancing behind her as she went. Whenever Lyrica was near the stage or involved in music, there was a hundred eighty degree turn in her personality. She would be bright, energetic, and enthusiastic if she was performing. She was totally in her elements whenever she danced and sang before the crowd, every move she made was brimming with confidence that still surprised Cave to this day.

Offstage, 5pb would revert back to her normal self, a shy, vulnerable, nervous, socially inept girl that Cave somehow found adorable. The only reason she joined the force was for the sake of protecting her friend from anything that would come to harm her. That reason soon expanded to protecting the entire nation yet looking after Lyrica was still number two on her priority list. After the ASIC incident though, she managed to see the new changes in her friend. She had the CPU Candidate of Planeptune to thank for that. These days, Lyrica was becoming braver and braver in going out on her own without Cave's assistance.

Now, what was she thinking about before 5pb decided to get her attention? Ah yes, the previous weeks. Cave checked her terminal and pressed the air above her right wrist. A moment later, a crystal blue hologram showing news reports and updates began scrolling downwards to a certain article. Once an article was found it would zoom in before minimizing to the side. These were the news regarding the recent attacks on each nation's Sharicite Vaults.

Starting a week ago, a certain individual had been organizing solo raids on the four nation's most protected vaults. Other than the motive of theft, the local authorities of each nation had been mulling over theories for the culprits plans. While people who weren't fond of the Goddesses existed, rarely would they initiate terrorist attacks with such direct methods. It was as if the culprit was sending a message to all of the nations about what they could do.

Cave didn't know if the one responsible for these attacks was very brave or increasingly stupid.

To take on the Goddesses was nothing short of asking for a death wish. While the nations had made sure to keep an eye on this mysterious individual, there weren't much course of action other than the fortifying of their vaults' defenses. At the most, the CPUs were treating the attacks as inconveniences rather than threats. If the Goddesses had the same personalities from the past then the nations would've long since plunged into war for they would start blaming each other for these raids.

It just goes to show on how much the four nations are aiding one another in maintaining their peaceful daily lives.

Still, knowing that such a person existed and was actively wreaking havoc in Gamindustri was more than enough reason for Cave to be on guard. She had already spread her troops all over Leanbox to capture the culprit should a report be sent to her.

The SMD Head turned her gaze at Lyrica at the distance before beginning reading the articles in her terminal. She had done this for quite a number of times already, taking in bits and pieces of information she had long since memorized after the first three re-readings. The culprit was proving to be quite the elusive little fish. It should be only a matter of time before they're caught.

"Hi there. How are you?" another voice called out to greet her as the sounds of footsteps grew closer and closer to her side.

Cave looked up towards a girl with lush brown hair and brilliant green eyes, dressed in a thick blue jacket while a green ribbon decorated her head. Parting her lips, the maroon haired girl replied, "Greetings, IF."

The Guild member crossed her arms and smiled as she said, "Looking sharp as ever, Cave. I'm here to take your place. You can go take a break now if you want."

"Much appreciated," said Cave as the brown haired girl took her spot, "The nurse is not with you?"

"Ah… Well… Compa's assigned to another place. Lastation I think. They're a little short on medics so Histoire had her dispatched there to help with whatever she can. The Guild's got a lot of people to spare so we're doing our best to find that person who's been bombing everyone. Any luck yet?"

"Negative. No news or information about the culprit's whereabouts. It's like we're being forced to chase our own tail," the SMD Head voiced her opinion in the matter in a tired tone.

"Our own tail, huh?" IF became a whole lot quiet for a few seconds before saying, "That person's going to be an annoying itch if we don't stop them soon. Neptune's too lazy to deal with it herself and Nepgear's busy with handling Planeptune's state of affairs. Seriously… That idiot."

"Patience is a virtue," muttered Cave.

"I know, but sometimes I just want her to be more considerate," grumbled the Guild Member, "There's no helping it, I guess…"

"I'll be going now," declared the SMD Head, deciding to drop the conversation there to wait for Lyrica. Without waiting for a response, she turned her back towards the brown haired girl and walked away.

Behind her, she heard IF's voice continue on talking, "I see, well happy lunch break then. **Stay frosty…**"

Cave felt like turning around at the last bit yet her terminal suddenly began to ring as one of her officers were calling her. She never managed to look behind her since she dismissed the last bit as her imagination and answered the call.

"Cave here. What's your status?"

"_Ma'am! -et -r-u-h! At—cked! Reinforcements!" _

The maroon haired girl's face suddenly turned into a frown as she tapped into her terminal to get rid of the static.

"What's wrong? What's happening? Answer me."

"_Bombs! A –ot injured! Bas-l—co— exploded! Requesting orders!"_

_An attack?_ Thought Cave as she said out loud to her terminal, "Contacting HQ for reinforcements. On site personnel do what they can to help the civilians. I'm on my w—"

_**BOOM**_

An earth shattering explosion rocked her world as a burst of flames and force went off a few feet beside her, sending her off her legs and down on the floor.

_**BOOM**_

Cave's ears rang as she went deaf for a few moments, yet despite that she still managed to hear the second explosion as if it were far away.

_**BOOM**_

A third explosion went off and this time, she managed to witness it burst at the ceiling above her, sending iron beams and debris from the roof falling down on the concert hall.

_**BOOM**_

The stage burst into flames and the support poles' fragments flew into random directions while the fire began to spread around the concert hall. Cave shook her head and forced herself to stand up, the chaos around her merely beginning to get out of control as panicked workers ran around screaming their heads off. The entire hall rumbled as the ceiling collapsed from the third explosion, crushing the stands and props that were going to be used.

A two sided attack. Thanks to the order she had given before the connection was cut off, most of her troops were gathered unto one place to stabilize the situation. It would take a while for them to reach the other side of Leanbox's capital after doing their job on the first blast site. For now, she should focus on saving Lyrica and taking her to safety. The surrounding fires were beginning to intensify while chunks of the ceiling crashed near her. She made her way towards the stage where she last saw her friend.

Attacking in broad daylight when they knew that the SMD was actively looking for them, the culprit behind these attacks sure was bold to make such a move. She gritted her teeth as she slapped her hand on her left ear to regain her hearing. Limping towards the stage, she came across an injured worker with her leg stuck beneath the rubble. Cave immediately went to her side and offered her assistance.

"Are you okay? Please hold on," she said as she attempted to move the debris out of the way to free the worker. There was a lot of blood so she assumed that the worker's leg had been crushed. Someone would have to support her and get her out of here, unfortunately, Cave had priorities.

The worker whimpered and sobbed at her broken leg once she was released. Apparently she hadn't felt the pain yet and was still in shock at the sight of her wound.

Cave barked at a panicking worker to help their colleague. In the next few moments, the injured worker gave her thanks before heading to safety. A light explosion went off behind her, making her flinch yet the maroon haired girl shook off the uncomfortable feeling and went on.

She searched for Lyrica amidst the ensuing mayhem and falling rocks yet she seemed like she was searching in vain no thanks to the smoke and fire. Her heart felt like bursting from her chest as she worried about her friend's condition. There was no use panicking now since she had to find her. If Lyrica wasn't injured, she would definitely be going around saving people yet Cave had yet to catch sight of her.

Whom she did find was a girl dressed in a thick blue jacket, staring into the flames without moving an inch.

The maroon haired girl went to IF's side as she gasped for breath, "What are you doing here? It's dangerous! Lyrica, did you find Lyrica?"

"Your friend's over there," replied the Guild Member, lifting her hand to point a few feet away in front of them.

At the foot of the stage was Lyrica herself, desperately attempting to help and heal an unconscious worker while the flames neared her. Smoke and dust filled her lungs making it hard to breathe so it was a struggle to focus her magic as well as send oxygen to her lungs. She couldn't just leave an injured person behind while she escaped, she had to do her best to save the worker.

It didn't seem like Cave was wrong in her guess. She didn't waste any time and immediately shouted, "Lyrica!"

"You're going to die if you step forward," muttered IF.

At that moment, the maroon haired girl came to a halt while a heavy black support pole crashed just a few feet in front of her. If she had taken those three steps then she would have been most certainly crushed. She whirled around and looked at the brown haired girl behind her. Something about her was different.

That was when Cave noticed the girl's red eyes. The Guild Member stood unmoving as she observed the proceedings, making no gestures of rushing in to help. She just stood there with her arms crossed as if she were watching a very interesting play, like a child bored out of her mind. Still, with the heat and the noxious smoke, the maroon haired girl could be wrong in what she was seeing. But then again, Cave was conditioned to work even in such harsh environments.

Whether it was the effect of the collapsing building and her own fear for her best friend's life, there was no denying that she felt the repulsive aura which surrounded IF.

It was just not normal. The maroon haired girl never encountered anything like it. There was something wrong with the brunette, she just couldn't put her finger on it. She felt as if her muscles refused to work with her while her mind were being constricted by a powerful force. It felt sickening and repulsive. Her strength seemed to be being drained just by staring at the Guild Member.

Once she was on her knees, IF turned her red eyes towards Cave and tilted her head with a questioning look, "Weren't you going to save Lyrica just now? What are you kneeling there for?"

Gritting her teeth, the maroon haired girl fought the urge to vomit. She hated to agree with this… _'thing'_ yet she was right. She had to save Lyrica, this wasn't the time to be thinking about anything else. Gasping for breath, she used every bit of her willpower to stand up on her feet, staggering a bit as she regained her footing.

"Careful now," warned IF as she pointed upwards at the falling debris. 5pb was still on the doing her best to free the trapped worker with a few others.

The blue haired idol looked around and immediately spotted Cave. She waved her hand and called out to the SMD Head, "Cave! Over here, we need your help!"

"Dangerous…" was all the maroon haired girl could say as she staggered forward, "Get away…"

"Cave?" 5pb blinked twice with worry in her eyes. A nearby spotlight exploded and made her jump while another support pillar fell just beside Cave. The resulting crash threw the SMD Head of her feet and into the ground, just a few feet away from the motionless Guild Member. Witnessing this, Lyrica began approaching her in alarm, "Cave, are you all right?! Hey!"

The maroon aired girl's head was throbbing hard once she realized she was just near IF. It was as if someone was beating her head with a diamond bat equipped with spikes before being dumped into a lake full of cold water and shoved into an oven. She felt as if her skull was about to crack underneath the aura the Guild Member was emitting. It hurt, it hurt so much that she wanted it to stop. She had never come across this kind of sorcery in any of the magical text books she had skimmed through.

The repulsive aura was similar to the atmosphere are around the Gamindustri Graveyard yet only intensified to such a ridiculous extent. She can't let Lyrica come near this person, even if this person looked exactly like IF.

She wanted to warn Lyrica of the threat beside her yet her voice wouldn't come out thanks to the unbearable pain.

_Don't come, don't come, don't come, don't come' don't come, don't come! Stay back! Get away! She's dangerous! Lyrica!_

Just as the pop idol was approaching her, the Guild Member beside her turned around and began walking away while saying, "**Not yet… Consider this a preview…**"

"Hold on, I'm coming!" the blue haired idol broke into a run as she saw her friend collapse amidst the approaching flames.

The SMD Head could feel strength surging back into her body as her mind began to clear. Behind her, IF had already vanished into thin air for some reason so she hastily stood up and ran towards Lyrica.

That was when a burning support pillar crashed into the pop idol.

She managed to utter one word before her the thing fell on top of her, "Cave..?"

Cave's world went gray afterwards. Dust and debris burst from the crashed pillar, obscuring the maroon haired girl's vision. Coughing from breathing in the dusts, she shielded her eyes with her arms. She stood on unsteady feet, limping towards the fallen support pillar with a blank expression.

That didn't just happened. It all went too fast. Gritting her teeth, she knelt on the ground as her legs lost their strength. Looking at her right leg, she noticed how fast she was bleeding from the shrapnel which imbedded itself within her flesh. The shock from getting hit didn't allow her to notice it at first yet now that she did, her mind as was assaulted by the stinging pain it caused.

However her full attention was focused on crawling towards the fallen support pillar. She had to get Lyrica out of there. She couldn't afford to lose her. It would've been all her fault for not getting to warn her. She cursed herself and her bad luck for this situation. The bare skin she had exposed came in contact with the rough ground, making her pathetic crawl border on hell due to the amount of pain she was receiving. Burning pieces of the building fell nearby as she approached the fallen pillar.

If she ever made out of this alive, she was going to make the rescue teams suffer. Once she was before the pillar, that was when she started lifting the metal debris off the place where her friend used to stand. Her hands were screaming out as they burned from the hot metal while her muscles groaned in protest from the heavy lifting. She was pushing her body to the limit going as far as standing on her injured leg.

"Please be safe…" she gasped as she got rid of the final barrier between her and Lyrica.

Finally, she collapsed on her knees once more, lightheaded and dazed from the loss of so much blood. She swallowed down her exhaustion and crawled towards the girl with long blue hair, eyes closed and unmoving. 5pb's legs seemed to be stuck underneath the fallen pillars yet otherwise her entire body was fine. Cave managed to get close enough to check her pulse and breathing to confirm that she was alive.

A sigh of relief escaped the maroon haired girl before finally losing control of her body and falling down. The building was still in the process of collapsing yet Cave felt a whole lot better than a few minutes ago. She held her friend's head close to her chest and breathed in the familiar scent of her hair. It was relaxing, comfortable, and assuring. Holding something so familiar in the midst of the chaos did wonders to her heart. Still, questions floated within the SMD Head's mind.

The last things in her mind though as she lost her consciousness was the ceiling exploding and light invading her vision. An angel wielding a spear landed above her. She wasn't able to make out the angel's face since she had already blacked out then.

She could've sworn she heard someone sobbing.


	2. Chapter 2

**DI**_ (E)_**SCLAIm**_(agical)_**3R**_(un)_: **T****H**_(L__)_**I**_(ES)_**nG5 GET**_(OUT__) _**PreT**_(S)_**T** _(0p__)_**Y dA**_(MN YOU)_**RK. p****L**_(yrica, no!) _**Eas3 R**_(un!)_**E**_(nd)_**C_IT_E tH**_(elp me)**e MST3K Mantra tH**(elp)_**RoUgh**_(GET)_**OUt ThE f**_(un!)_**Ic.****  
**

* * *

"Awake yet, sleeping beauty?"

Cave opened her emerald eyes to see an unfamiliar ceiling. It was pure white and reminded her of a clean freak mopping the floor. A strange mental image popped into her mind upon her awakening, something told her that this was going to be a long day. She was dressed in a white hospital gown while she peeked underneath her snow colored bed sheets. Everything was too white that it hurt her eyes. The only things that weren't uniform in color were the black television propped up just beyond the foot of her bed, the powder blue drawer at her side and the person sitting at her bed side.

It took a few seconds for the maroon haired girl to process all of this before turning to her visitor. The person whom had been at her side was a young woman dressed in a rather interesting black dress which was not too far behind from Cave's usual outfit in terms of the amount of skin revealed. The girl was twirling a curl of her long mint colored hair as her almond eyes gazed at Cave with a bored look.

Chika Hakozaki raised a hand and greeted in an almost robotic tone, "Yo…"

"Why am I not surprised?" asked Cave in an indifferent tone.

The Oracle stood up from seat and looked like she could flip a table in an exaggerated manner, "The hell are you talking about!? You almost got yourself killed! You and Lyrica! For the Goddesses sake, you two were on your deathbeds! You have any idea how worried I was and that's all you have to say?!"

"Remind me again why you should be worried about me and Lyrica?" asked the SMD Head once more.

"Because we're friends!" replied Chika while flailing her arms.

"Sorry, I never recalled being friends with an absurd pervert stalker like you," Cave mercilessly shot down the green haired girl's happy little bubble as best as she could.

This was then followed by the intended reaction. The Oracle froze on the spot as pale as she could ever be with her fair skin while her lips were nothing more than thin lines curved upwards. The maroon haired girl gave her an experimental poke and Chika looked as if she were going to be blown with the wind. Feeling a little shaky in the knees, the Oracle staggered towards the corner of the room and crouched there, whimpering like a broken hearted school girl.

Cave felt like going someplace else to spare herself the pathetic sight. Unfortunately, she remembered that her leg still needed some healing so it didn't seem like she was going anywhere soon yet. Pain stung her mind once more making her hold her head with her hand, only to realized that it was heavily bandaged and somehow was painful too. She lifted her other hand and found that it too was wrapped in bandages. She had a vague idea on how it turned out this way.

Hearing the chair beside her screech, the SMD Head turned her attention at the now fully composed Chika once more.

"Done crying?" she asked without holding back.

The Oracle seemed to cringed under the blunt tone used yet she preserved and answered with her head low, "Yes…"

"Explain," urged Cave as she got ready to listen.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're skipping a lot of steps here! Aren't you supposed to be setting up the atmosphere first?" questioned Chika.

"I don't much time playing with your games, Chika. You're lucky my foot's not fully healed or else I would've done something drastic than keep up with your bullshit," the maroon haired girl paid no mind to the stunned reaction her friend gave her at that.

"Couldn't you be at least a little nicer? Do I really have to do this every time you get knocked out cold and get sent here?" grumbled the green haired girl as she crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks, "You're no fun at all. If it were Lady Vert she would've been much kinder like an angel descending from the heavens! Spreading her love and kindness indiscriminately all around the world! Aaaahhnn~! Lady Vert!"

"Disgusting," muttered Cave which pretty much summed up everything she wanted to say to her friend, "The rescue team was late. What took them so long and who was the one that saved us? Where's Lyrica? Is she fine? Is she safe?"

Chika managed to escape from her delusion to respond, "Of course! Well, Five's inside her own room recovering. She'll have to stay here longer than you do since she doesn't have your absurd tenacity. You should be able to walk around once you drink your last potion. And… about the rescue team…"

The SMD Head tensed as she strained her ears to listen.

"Well… Apparently we've been sabotaged," the Oracle didn't seem comfortable.

"Sabotaged?"

"Yes. All routes leading to the concert hall were mysteriously blocked by a string of explosion and strange magical fields. Our investigation team's on the move to crack and trace the source of the fields. From what I've gathered, it's obvious that someone planned this out since there's no way one person could do this themselves all on their lonesome. We've also discovered that the traps and bombs placed around Leanbox have been lying in wait for weeks, meaning that there was a plan to execute these events. We don't know what the culprit's motives could be but we can only speculate for now."

"If the routes have been blocked just as you say, then how were we saved?"

"Obviously, we have a majestically beautiful Goddess selflessly willing to jump head first into danger to save her own people. Ahhhnn~! Lady Vert was so heroic I wanted to snuggle with her back then! Just thinking about it is— kyaaa!"

"Disgusting…" muttered Cave as she had endure the sight of her friend degrading into a mere fangirl.

Chika ceased her antics half-way through and adopted an uncharacteristically serious tone and demeanor, "However, there's more… To the underlings we have, this info's not supposed allowed to be disclosed anyone other than me and the other people Vert recognizes as trustworthy but I'll let you in on this…"

The maroon haired girl frowned and couldn't help but comment, "Remind me never to tell my secrets to you ever again."

"The bombs were apparently using materials from Planeptune…" continued the Oracle.

Cave couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at that. If that was the case, could Planeptune be behind the attacks? She knew that the CPU of that nation was a lazy lump of purple yet she knew that Lady Neptune would never do such a thing. Cave was familiar enough with Nepgear to know that it wasn't the case yet she couldn't just rule them out just because they were acquaintances.

"An invasion? Is this a declaration of war?" she asked as she gripped her sheets.

"Vert's smarter than that so don't expect her to jump to such conclusions. We're keeping an open mind unto who the culprit may be since the same culprit may be aiming to cause unrest between the four nations," explained the Oracle as she crossed her arms, "If someone's deliberately trying to plunge Gamindustri into war, then it'll be up to you and your Corps to find out who they are and put a stop to them. I'll be handling the diplomatic side while you and your team would have to gather Intel to back up the third party theory, got it? We're going to have to do this quick since seeing Vert worried is like a cancer to my heart."

"You're not the boss of me, I will do what I want," said the maroon haired girl in an uncommonly used conceited tone, causing the green haired girl to flinch and look as if she were about to cry. With a sigh, Cave continued, "I was already thinking of doing something along those lines without you telling me. Rest assured I'll do what I can."

Turning back to normal, the Oracle stood up and gave her the thumbs up, "Alright then! Well, I gotta get going. If you want to be discharge, just drink the potion in your drawer. Though you seriously look like you need some rest so take your time!"

"A question though. How long was I out?" asked Cave with a tilt of her head.

"Three days. Why?" replied Chika before shooting her own question.

Averting her gaze, the SMD Head looked outside of her window, "Nothing…"

* * *

Five hours. Cave took her time by resting for five hours. Once those hours have passed, she immediately drank her potion and felt better than she could've been in a long time. The incident was already over and done three days ago yet there still many things left unsolved. She got dressed in her usual clothes before donning a brown cloak over them, the air conditioning was freezing her so she did what she could to stay warm. She would have to reconsider a wardrobe change as she was never good with the cold in the first place, though she was worried that people may be frightened of the whole cloak deal.

In those five hours her mind's gears worked their best to come up with an answer to the question to everything.

_What was happening to IF?_

She wasn't sure, but the Guild Member was awfully suspicious during the collapse of the concert hall. Okay, maybe suspicious was a severe understatement yet the thought was there. She moved too unnaturally and that aura she released around her was nothing short of sickening. Cave wondered if that was indeed the real IF. The air about that girl was just so wrong that just by standing near her was torture.

The enemy using IF's appearance and inciting unrest between the nations, it was something Cave found exceedingly irritating. Though as Chika had said, the bombs were fashioned from Planeptune materials and IF was a resident of the same nation, chances are that she made those bombs with the same materials after getting them. This'll lead if she was acting on her own or if she was under orders. That wouldn't make sense if she was under orders seeing that Planeptune was also being harassed by the attackers.

Could she be acting on her own? Then why? A coup? No, IF was smarter than that to suddenly start a war. Besides, there was just no reason she should it was totally out of character of her. And yet… her action back at the concert hall was something that needed concern. It just didn't make sense. Were the Guild Member in a normal state of mind then she could've helped Cave and Lyrica. Did that mean there was something wrong with her head? What was it?

The maroon haired girl uttered a tired sigh mixed with irritation. Maybe Chika was right, she _was _making herself worry too much.

She managed to fix up her room before exiting it, making sure she locked her door with the key she was given. Turning to the right, she only needed to pass by three rooms to find the one 5pb was staying at. Cave silently prayed that her friend was all right compared to her banged up appearance back then. Once she was ready, she knocked on the door while saying, "Lyrica? It's me, Cave. Can I come in?"

"A-A-Alright! Please, it's okay!"

Cave couldn't help but smile at that familiar stuttering. She was going to have to tell off her friend to get rid of that habit. Calmly, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The relieved feelings she had popped like a bubble and was instead replaced by shock and caution. The first person she saw was not a frail looking girl in a hospital pajama with long blue hair, but a girl with lush brown hair, piercing green eyes and oversized blue jacket. It was IF sitting beside Lyrica's bed while the idol herself was lying down with a smile on her face. Seeing her best friend's expression, Cave thought quick and got rid of her own look and acted as naturally as she could.

What was _she_ doing here? No, Cave shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. There was still no proof that IF was behind all of this yet the mere sight of the Guild Member at her friend's bedside sent a wave of unease to wash over her. Whatever the brown haired girl was here for, the SMD head had a bad feeling about it.

"Hello Lyrica," she greeted as she walked towards 5pb, "Everything's well with you, I see. Are you not hurting anywhere?"

Lyrica smiled and waved off her friend's worries, "I'm fine. It's not like I'm four steps behind your own state, I could take on a few monsters even back then. Oh, and IF's been keeping me company. She's been an angel while I insisted on seeing you."

At the pop idol's comment, the Guild Member's cheeks couldn't help but flush as she had a complicated look on her face, "Look, it's like that! You were just being stubborn and unreasonable…"

"Thank you… for looking after her," said Cave as she addressed the brown haired girl. She half meant it while the other half was still doubting the girl in the blue jacket. To her friend, she spoke, "I'm going to investigate the attacks more thoroughly from now on. Apparently, having my guard down led to you and a whole lot of others to be injured. For that, I'm really sorry."

"W-What? Wait! Cave! You don't have to apologize! No one wanted it to happened! Besides, it's not your fault. You're not to blame here!" Lyrica sometimes fumbled in her words as she fought to make a coherent sentence in the face of her friend's apology. Thinking quick, she decided to divert the topic from there, "Anyway! Are you sure you should be walking around like this? You looked beat up back at the concert hall and I was afraid that something might've happened. If you're still feeling ill, then please go get some rest. You can go to work later if you want, the missions could wait."

Catching on, the maroon haired girl replied, "There won't be any need for that. Besides, I've rested long enough. The longer the culprit is out there then the more people are going to get hurt. I'm sure Miss IF has the same feelings."

IF crossed her arms as she heard the last bit, "She's right, Five. Everyone's doing their best to catch the guy who planned everything, besides, you can't stop someone from doing their duty when they know that people may be hurt. It's like stopping a river with a spoon."

_Is she pretending not to know or does she know anything at all?_ thought the SMD head, not thoroughly convinced of the Guild Member's opinion. Despite that, she then said, "I'm also relieved to see you safe, Miss IF. I'm sorry for not being able to find you in the midst of all the chaos three days ago. I'm glad that you're unhurt."

"Huh?"

"Hm?"

The two girls had surprised reactions towards Cave's statement before adopting a look of confusion on their faces. Cave was partly confused by this too so she merely tilted her head with a questioning look. Did she perhaps say something wrong?

After two seconds, Lyrica decided to break the ice a she spoke, "But Cave… IF was never at the concert hall back then. She was never there in the first place?"

"But.. That's impossible…" muttered the maroon haired girl with a frown, "I saw her there and… I spoke to her. I assumed that she escaped once the chaos blew up."

The second part was a lie of course yet she still felt that there was no way she could've been mistaken. There was the possibility that the Guild Member had given 5pb false information before she got to the room but it seemed like there was something she was missing.

"When I fell down, she was near me," Cave had a thoughtful look on her face a she crossed her arms, "How could that be? I could've sworn she was there."

"Whoa, hold on a sec. I was doing a few quests for Histoire during those times," defended IF as she raised her hands in surrender, "no way I could fly to Leanbox from Planeptune in just thirty minutes upon hearing the news. That's… weird…"

"Cave, there was no one beside you back then. You were alone when I saw you lying down back then," clarified Lyrica. In a worried tone, she added, "Are you sure you're okay?"

The maroon haired girl was silent for a moment before nodding. Was it really just her imagination? Nevertheless, there was no way she could convince Lyrica otherwise even if it was true. Finally, she parted her lips and apologized, "Sorry, it must've been someone else. Sorry if I caused you trouble."

"Look, it's all right. Maybe too many things were running through your head that made you see things," IF waved her hand dismissively, gesturing that there no more problems, "Though if you want, I can ask Histoire to send some people to investigate, maybe lighten your load. You don't look like you can still go out there."

"I'll be fine. Thank you for your concerns… Both of you…" Cave managed to crack a relieved smile. She had people backing her up when she insisted on taking things on her own. As much as she appreciated their help and worry, this was her job no matter how one looked at it. There were still things to be considered regarding those Planeptune made bombs.

5pb looked as though she remembered something and immediately turned to the Guild Member, "Don't you have a mission today? Are you sure you're okay with staying here?"

"What!" IF fished out a phone out of her pockets and stared wide eyed at the clock, "You're right! I'm late! I can't believe I forgot! Uh… Well… Sorry if I have to leave all of a sudden! I'll make it up to you next time, I promise!"

"It's okay. Just be careful out there, alright?" the pop idol gave the Guild Member a warm smile as she hurriedly went to the door. With a parting wave, the brown haired girl exited the room and closed the door, leaving the two friends in silence. The pop idol didn't know what to say and the atmosphere around them was threatening to turn into an awkward one if left for too long. Apparently, she hadn't spoken to Cave ever since the incident at the concert hall, most of it because that her friend still hadn't regained consciousness.

After a few seconds, the SMD head stood up and said, "I think it's time for me to leave too. I'll be back. I'll just be seeing if the SMD has been functioning well during my absence. That'll only take three hours…"

"Cave…"

The maroon haired girl looked at Lyrica at the sound of her name.

"Don't push yourself too much. If you need anything, I'll be here to listen. I don't know what's going through your head but I want you to take care of yourself. Got that?"

Nodding, Cave replied, "Of course."

5pb smiled and gave her a thumb up, "Good luck…"

The SMD head walked towards the door and went outside, looking behind to her friend who was waving a hand, before closing the door. Releasing a heavy sigh, Cave started off at a brisk walk following the path towards the exit. If she went fast then she should be able to catch up to IF leaving. It wasn't even five minutes since the Guild Member left Lyrica's room. There should be enough time to follow her way out. Instead of using the elevators, she went down using the emergency exit, dropping from floor to floor by jumping over the railings.

She passing through the lobby and into the parking lot, she searched for a sign of the large blue jacket in her surroundings. It seemed like she already lost her target so all she could do at the moment was to crossed her arm and shake her head in disappointment. Having this kind of suspicious mindset shouldn't be healthy for her. A cool breeze made her cloak sway as she stared at the first signs of dusk creeping in. The air managed to calm her by just a bit.

That was when the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end as she felt an odd chill pass through her.

Turning around, she had managed to catch the sight of an odd man. Cave's warrior gears kicked into action as she measured the man's type in her mind. While she was most certainly looking for IF in hopes of following her and confirming that she was indeed innocent, she had almost disregarded the notion of another suspect behind everything. Or could it be that her mind was just playing tricks on her again?

Back to the person before her, it was true that a few individuals in Gamindustri had an odd sense of fashion and were brazen enough to display it in public and Cave herself was one of those few, but this was her first time seeing a person dress up in…. a surreal manner. The man wore a tail coat with a black vest beneath it and a matching bow tie, black pants covered his lower body while his shoes seemed to shine underneath the street lamp above. His hands were covered in white gloves yet they were currently hidden within his pockets. An outfit befitting a gentleman of the higher class in Leanbox.

Yet the only thing that was out of place was the man's head. It was hidden by a large white rabbit mask that one would usually see among game or restaurant mascots. The mask's fur was snow white with two bright red eyes on either side and a pair of buck teeth on the front. There was even a top hat sitting between its long stiff ears.

Cave stood rooted on the spot as the man passed her, she didn't even dare move a muscle while in the presence of this stranger. The person passed by yet his footsteps did not fade. Instead, she noticed how the sounds came to a halt. Gulping down the lump in her throat, she forced her body to move and look behind her.

The man stood underneath the lamp post looking as harmless as a fly. His arms were crossed as he tilted his head. From within the mask, a muffled voice escaped in a cool tone, "My, my, my… You seem to be distraught, young lady. You seem to be looking for something, but do you even know what that thing is?"

"Who are you?" questioned the SMD head in a steely manner.

The stranger tilted his head to the other side before replying, "Me? I am but a passerby becoming concerned to a totally random person. You do not seem to be feeling well, are you ill?"

Cave didn't answer and merely stared at the stranger before her. A wave of nausea enveloped her almost making her gag. This feeling, it was familiar, similar to that of the sensation she felt three days ago underneath the collapsing concert hall. Could this guy be..?

"Well… You seem to be familiar. Are you perhaps Cave of the Special Missions Department?" asked the stranger while placing a fist on his palm.

"Yes. That's me," replied the girl with no hesitation.

"I see. Well, I had some business to attend to at your headquarters, maybe file a complaint for my burnt wares from the recent attacks. Would you like to accompany me since I'm already headed there?" offered the man with a slight bow.

Unfortunately for him, the SMD head shook her head as she declined, "Sorry. I'm in a hurry. Though if you can only give me your name. I'm sure my staff would be able to help you better if I tell them beforehand."

"Convenient!" exclaimed the rabbit masked man as he clapped his hands, "Well then, my name is—"

_**RRRRIIIINNGGGG**_

_**RRRRIIIINNGGG**_

"Oh my, what could this be?" said the stranger as he was suddenly cut off.

Cave took out her phone with a frown and answered, "Cave, here."

"_Ma'am, it's an emergency! We've just received Intel on a bomb planted on HQ! We're doing our best to find it and we've already evacuated the civilians in the premises! We need you to take charge of command here, ma'am!"_

_Bombs? At the HQ? But that's not possible. In fact, the second heaviest guarded location in Leanbox aside from the Basilicom would be the SMD's headquarters. To plant a bomb there would be nothing short of an impossible task for the culprit to escape there much less plant it .Damn,_ the maroon haired girl cursed in her mind as she answered, "I'll be there in five minutes. Search for civilians and bring them to a sheltered area. Do not continue searching for the bomb and withdraw. Cave, out."

With a grimace, she stuffed her phone back into her pocket and turned her gaze at the stranger, only if it wasn't for the fact that he had disappeared without a trace. The fatigue Cave was feeling had gone as well yet she could still feel her head throbbing. She wouldn't be able to think straight if she kept hallucinating. Lyrica's words echoed within her mind about pushing herself. Great, now her own conscience was nagging her, just what she needed.

She broke into a run.

The SMD headquarter should be only four blocks from the hospital. If she used the alleyways as shortcuts, she'll arrive there in less than a few minutes. She could already see the crowds forming to see the SMD head quarter's current state while a few of her employees were doing their best to keep the civilians away. She dashed through an alleyway and emerged into a less crowded street. Her phone began to ring once more in her pocket so she answered it.

"Hello? I'm on my way now," she said as she huffed through her dash.

"_Ma'am! Enforcers went inside the building when a call went through our phone. There's someone trapped in the storage area and our people are working to get them out of there ASAP. Should I order a withdrawal?"_

"Do it. They're risking their lives. Too dangerous. Wait for further instruct—"

_**BOOM**_

An explosion roared through the receiver which made Cave pull away from her phone. At the same time, another explosion burst at the distance. She watched as smoke rose into the air just behind the buildings before her. The line she was connected to was cut off followed by the silence of her phone. Gritting her teeth, she broke into a run.

She ran and ran as fast as she could and when she got to the place, her vision was filled with flames. Orange and black consumed the white and green building before her, people lay on the street injured and moaning for getting caught in the blast. A crowd gathered at a healthy distance and was being suppressed by the remainder of Cave's employees while the other went to pick up the wounded. She stomped her way through the masses whom recognized her and parted to give her way.

"Ma'am," called a weak voice nearby. Apparently, it came from an injured officer with light brown hair and blood sliding down her cheeks from her forehead. It was the same officer she spoke to three days ago before everything went straight to hell. She was being supported by a couple more people when she suddenly asked them to stop. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself off the people helping her.

Cave couldn't help but feel her fist tremble in barely suppressed rage. Witnessing the injuries of her own officer firsthand was something she took no pleasure in seeing. Just the mere sight of her officer being wounded ignited a cold fury which swelled within her. Oh someone was going to pay big time…

"Stop," she held the wounded officer by her shoulder and said, "You're injured. Whatever reports you have can wait."

"She's there…" gasped the enforcer as she gripped on the SMD chief's clothes, "She's there…"

Cave's spine stiffened at those words, "What?"

"There…" the officer raised a trembling hand and pointed at the burning building. The maroon haired girl shielded her face with her arms as another explosion burst through the building. However for a split second, she could've sworn that she saw a silhouette behind the flames. It moved deeper into the burning building with the obvious sight of a boat billowing behind it.

Her body shifting into high gear, the SMD chief turned to her wounded officer and spoke, "Rest, I'll handle things here." She then ordered to the surrounding officers who were busy patching up the wounded, "The lot of you who are idling about. Surround the building's perimeter this instant. Clear all civilians from the area, restrict anyone from entering the premises with no exceptions. Groups of two officers are to position themselves above the buildings while I enter HQ. The culprit had just entered the crime scene. Execute orders now!"

The enforcers that heard her all let out an enthusiastic 'yes' and performing their assigned tasks without question. Cave took that as her cue to sprint towards the building, hoping that the person she saw wasn't the same person she had in her mind. Running up the steps and side stepping a large chunk of the building she entered the ruined lobby, burning with debris littered on the floor while the previously pure white walls were as black as night from suffering the orange tongues of fire.

The fan shaped staircase which led to the upper floors had collapsed leaving the path upwards gone. If she wanted to inspect the second floor for her target then she would need to find another way up. Then again, if she couldn't climb up then so wouldn't her target. The heat was getting intense and Cave was thankful that she had her cloak on to fend off the flames near her.

"Where are you..?" she muttered as she stared around the collapsing building. She could barely see through the blaze and she knew that staying much long inside this place with the temperature of an oven would be bad for her. She was just wondering just how long the Guild Member was willing to drag things out until she gave up. Cave was confident in her endurance yet IF may also be the same. With the many obstacles in the way, conducting a search would be difficult in the current situation.

She tensed and turned to the right. A sound behind her made her spin once more, her eyes darting from one place to another. She could hear someone… Crying..? It wasn't very clear due to the crackling flames around her and the uncomfortable heat she was experiencing yet it was there. Someone was crying. She felt movement on her right again which made her move. Her face was indifferent yet she strained her senses to take in every minute detail of her surroundings.

She was being played at!

Finally, she heard something she could easily identify: Footsteps.

What she found odd was that it was coming from within the flames in front of her. The searing heat was starting to burn her yet she stood her ground and narrowed her eyes to identify the person. Now this was where Cave began to feel strange. Despite the ridiculously hot temperature akin to being inside the heart of a stone oven, for one split second, one mere moment, she felt a familiar chill engulf her entire being. Then from the curtain of fire out came a large deep blue jacket wrapped around a petite body.

With her lush brown hair dancing behind her, she passed through the flames as if they were never there. No, it seemed that the fire was openly avoiding her, an invisible force keeping the flames at bay from touching her skin. Her usual green eyes were deep crimson, like the eyes of hell gazing from the abyss. A repulsive black aura surrounding her entire body as she stood among the debris and fire.

Something was definitely wrong.

IF parted her lips into an amused smirk as she said, "Looking for someone?"

Cave gave her a cold look as response, not daring to open her mouth in fear of losing her lunch. The odd sensation of having her mind stirred by an invisible hand was present once more. She could barely control her knees from shaking. Just what in the world was happening?

"**Not going to talk, huh? Well, I don't blame you. Most people would suffer catatonic fits just by talking to me**," the Guild Member strode across the ruined lobby and towards the frozen Cave.

Within the maroon haired girl's head, she could hear her own voice screaming that she was about to get killed. Cold sweat ran down her cheeks before evaporating from the heat. She kept her eyes on her feet, not daring looking at those red eyes of the girl before her. It didn't take long before a pair of boots appear in her vision, followed by a pale white hand come in contact with her chin, forcing her to look up. Feeling the finger tips touch her skin was similar to having the flat end of a cold blade move her head up.

The SMD had no choice but to steel her resolve and stare into those damnable eyes. IF's face was just inches from hers, she could feel the Guild Member's cold breath on her skin, making her shiver. Yet seeing the entertained smile on the brown headed girl's face caused goose bumps to appear on her skin.

"**Boo.**"

Cave lost all her strength and collapsed on her knees. A suffocating feeling enveloping her entire being as she wretched and coughed on the ground. She couldn't take it, she wasn't strong enough to endure whatever the Guild Member was emitting. She wasn't even sure if she's still in the presence of a human. Everything felt distorted, everything felt so wrong, everything seemed like a lie, she couldn't handle it anymore, the feeling she had was making her skin crawl.

It was hot yet cold, she felt terrified yet comfortable at the same time, she felt weak yet strong at the same time, she felt like she was going insane yet her mind was clearer than she had ever realized it in her entire life. Her mind wouldn't be able to handle the increasing pressure around her much longer she had to do something, anything!

Using what willpower she had left, she summoned her trusty oversized scissors and slashed upwards.

It was expected that the Guild Member would've seen through the attack yet the intention was accomplished. The heavy weight Cave felt wrapping around her head was finally gone and she could finally think straight for once. Breathing hard, she looked around her and found that the flames were no longer near her, as if they all backed away from being too close to IF whom was standing before the maroon haired girl. Despite her body and mind's protest, she stood up on her feet through sheer willpower while leaning on her scissors for support.

IF crossed her arms at the distance with a raised eyebrow, that unfazed smile never leaving her lips, "Well this is interesting. Looks like you still have some fight in you. And here I thought IF was the only one capable of standing up against me."

_IF? What? I do not understand. Why is she speaking as if… She was not IF? It doesn't make sense…_the SMD chief was breathing hard as she glared at the Guild Member while growling, "You… What have you done..?"

"**Me? I'm just fooling around as always. It's odd to see you so distressed. Where did your calm and collected persona run off to, Cave?**" teased the Guild Member with a sadistic smile, "**Something tells me that you're going to bore me fast so I won't bother sticking around."**

"Who are you..?" questioned Cave.

"**Me?**" said IF with a mischievous grin, "_**I am but a passerby becoming concerned to a totally random person**__."_

The SMD chief's eyes widened. Where did she hear that before? Her eyes then turned towards the shadow the Guild Member was casting, instead of the silhouette of a young girl, what was looming on the walls was the distinct shape of a humanoid body with the head of a rabbit, stretching its enlarged arms on either side of the ruined lobby. It flickered from a normal silhouette and back again with the flames dancing around.

"**I'm something you wouldn't even begin to understand. I just happened to be passing by this girl when I took her body as a vessel. Feisty one she is. One of the few girls in this world that managed to earn my respect and interest,**" IF gazed at Cave with those scarlet eyes, "**What about you? Will you do the same? I wonder how far would you go for a friend in need. This girl braved seven thousands Repetitions before confronting me. Tell me Cave… Will you be the one to break this Cycle?**"

_Vessel? So that's not IF… That man… Was the man earlier and the one inside IF now one and the same? How? When? Where? What happened? Dangerous… _the maroon haired girl's mind tried to come up with something to turn the table on her target before things got messy, _This is… Not what I expected… But somehow everything had fallen to place. I just need to make sense of things… Damn…_

She took a step forward and said, "You, what are you planning? What did you do to the real IF?"

"**I did not do anything to her. How rude of you, jumping unto conclusions like that," the Guild member waved her finger while clicking her tongue, "Obviously, I'm not planning anything. I can do what I want, when I want based on my whims alone. A life free from stress if I do say so myself…"**

"Why..?" asked the SMD chief while her fists trembled with increasing rage.

"**Why? Well my dear, it's **_**because I can**_**,"** replied IF with an exaggerated bow. She then straightened herself and continued, "**Blowing factories up and inciting suspicion between the four countries may be fun and all, however it lacks the real thrill of having someone to toy with. So how about it, Cave? Would you like to make a wish?"**

_A wish..? Why would she spout things about wishes now? I—_ gritting her teeth, Cave growled in a low, dangerous tone, "I have nothing to wish for, you monster. I am not interested in your demonic curses or the sorts, however I will find you, and I will kill you for fooling around with the lives of my employees and the lives of the people in Gamindustri. I will make you pay a hundredfold."

"**Oooh, scary, I'm quaking in my boots,**" mocked the Guild Member in high falsetto tone while pretending to shiver before arcing her back and letting out a laugh. Wiping a tear on her eyes, she then proceeded to perform a low bow while saying, "**Then I'll be waiting. Worry not, I will not go anywhere nor will I run away. I will stay and watch how you solve this little riddle. How are you going to fight differently from the others did? Will you succeed on where IF failed?"**

The SMD chief remained silent at that as she stood her ground. A chunk of the building fell a few meters from the Guild member's body yet she didn't seem to mind at all. She merely continued pacing as if nothing happened.

"**Goodbye, Cave**," said IF as she was engulfed in a thick curtain of black aura before disappearing.

With the power keeping the flames at bay and the building's collapse postponed gone, everything ran its course once more with the headquarters' ruin resuming. Cave could barely stand and she didn't look like she getting up anytime soon. Just being in the presence of… that _thing_ practically felt like she was fighting to keep her sanity intact. It could've been a miracle to consider her being alive. Whatever it was that possessed IF was something that the four Goddesses and the Candidates… wait, no, something not even the True Goddess would be able to face.

Something dark and ominous. She was afraid, afraid for her friends, life, and world. To have such a thing set foot upon Gamindustri was nothing short of asking for a catastrophe to brew. Worst of all, that _thing_ was now interested in _her._ She wanted to run, to cry, to hide somewhere that thing wouldn't reach her. Yet as much as she tried to deny it, to escape her fate, she knew she had no choice but to fight.

And fight is exactly what she's going to do.

For now, she needed to stay alive. Lying on the ruined lobby's floor, she just had enough strength to send an S.O.S. signal to her enforcers standing by just outside the building. As her consciousness began to fade, she heard a lot of things before passing out. She heard the yells and explosions outside the building, she heard the crackling of the nearby flames, the dull thuds of the falling pieces of the ceiling. She heard them all yet the one thing that stood out from the rest of them was this….

The sobbing was getting louder.


End file.
